Town Council Adopts Budget

May 14, 2008|By ANN MARIE SOMMA; Courant Staff Writer

WETHERSFIELD — The town council has adopted an $82.9 million budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year.

The Democrat-led town council, in a 6-3 vote along party lines, adopted a budget Monday with a 5.38 percent increase in current spending. The increase means a homeowner with a home assessed at $156,188 will pay an additional $276.69 in taxes.

The budget includes $28.5 million for town government, $48.2 million for the board of education, $3.9 million for debt service, and $2.2 million for capital improvements.

Republican town council member John Console voted against the budget, saying it will be a hardship for many taxpayers who face revaluation of their homes next year.

"In these tough economic times we should have kept the budget bare bones," Console said. "We really need to take a hard look at what we are spending money on and run the town like a business."

Town Manager Bonnie Therrien originally proposed an $83.1 million municipal budget for 2008-09 that called for a 6.1 percent increase.

Mayor Andy Adil said he was disappointed the town council couldn't reduce the budget further. But the council felt this was the year the town needed to keep certain town services intact and spend money when it could.

"We really wanted to do our best to reduce the budget because next year's budget will be more difficult, given revaluation and not knowing how much we will get in state money," Adil said.

Democratic town council member Matthew Forrest said the budget allows the town to continue services residents are accustomed to receiving and move forward.

"It's a responsible budget and takes into account the financial instability of the state, local and national economy," Forrest said.